Provincial Thinking Closes Book On Pair Looking Over Mount Dora

September 24, 1987|By Sam Fenton, Lake County Editor

A funny thing happened in Mount Dora not too long ago.

As you know, The Orlando Sentinel has been expanding its news-gathering operation in Lake County to keep pace with the rapid growth rate and satisfy reader demand for local news. That means hiring new reporters to live and work here.

Well, as I was giving a job applicant a tour of Lake County recently, his fiancee was out and about checking on apartments and rental houses. She was attracted to Mount Dora and eventually stopped by one of the local real estate agencies.

No, I will not tell you the name.

The conversation between the agency's representative and the woman was going just swimmingly. Yes, there were many nice apartments in Mount Dora. Yes, it was a friendly city that prizes its quaintness and charm. Yes, there were good schools, restaurants and shopping areas nearby. Yes, yes, yes, we'd love to have you.

Then, during the normal flow of conversation, the agent learned that the prospective reporter and the woman were only engaged -- not yet married.

The multiple listings book snapped shut and the agent looked up at the woman in a stern manner, proclaiming something to the effect of: ''We don't allow things like that in Mount Dora. There's a city ordinance against it.''

Case closed. Interview over. So nice to meet you.

Could this be happening in this day and time, I asked -- even in Mount Dora, which prides itself on its distinctive airs and New England-style values?

Indeed, it had happened. What a heck of thing to deal with when you are trying to put your best foot forward for a prospective employee who most likely has one or two other job offers in his pocket.

To put the record straight, there is no such ordinance on the books in Mount Dora. If there were, I suspect the city's boys in blue would have to double the force just to write all the citations and serve the eviction notices.

Now, the real estate agent probably had the best of intentions in mind for the community. And in Mount Dora, I'm sure that kind of thinking is far from unique.

Still, the mind boggles if such a philosphy were held by a majority of the city council members. I can see it now.

Folks driving into the city would be stopped at a checkpoint near the city limits: